Tape recorder and magnetic tape cassette with movable tensioning and brake means

Abstract

The invention relates to a magnetic tape cassette and a tape recorder for use with such a cassette. More specifically, the invention relates to the provision of movable means within the cassette, which means -- in a first position -- hold the magnetic tape taut and prevent movement of the reels in the cassette and -- in a second position -- release the magnetic tape and the reels, which may then be rotated by the tape recorder, the tape being guided only by means attached to the recorder. Magnetic head positioning means provided on the recorder are adapted to adjust the position of magnetic heads, which are rigidly mounted on a head plate which is movable relatively to the tape, to the desired position for recording and reproduction.

We claim: 
     
       1. In combination, a tape recorder and a magnetic tape cassette, said cassette having a substantially rectangular housing having a bottom wall, a top wall and side walls and containing one or more reels adapted to carry packs of magnetic tape, the reels and magnetic tape being driven by spindles and capstans provided on the tape recorder and adapted to pass through openings in the bottom and/or top walls of the cassette, the recording and reproduction of signals after the cassette has been placed in position on the recorder being effected by tape-scanning means on the recorder and which, together with at least one pressure roller, are adapted to pass through at least one opening in the front wall of the cassette to bear against the magnetic tape passing along said front wall on the inside thereof, wherein there are provided in the cassette movable tensioning means for the tape and movable brake means for the reels, and said tensioning means and said brake means being spring-loaded towards a first position so as to assume said position when the cassette is removed from the recorder; said tape tensioning means having two tensioning levers which are hingedly mounted near the front wall of the cassette to pivot in the plane of the cassette, and said reel brake means having two brake portions opposite said two reels, respectively; each of said tensioning levers being located in the first position of said tensioning means, around a corresponding opening in the cassette housing for the admission of a corresponding guide roll on the recorder, in gripping relationship to said tape so as to hold said tape taut in a plane parallel to the front wall of the cassette, and each said brake portion being located, in the first position of said brake means, in flange-gripping relationship to the corresponding reel so as to prevent said reel from turning in at least one direction and wherein there are provided means on the recorder designed to pass through apertures in the bottom wall and/or top wall of the cassette for moving said tensioning means and said brake means, when the cassette is placed on the recorder, to a second position in which said tensioning levers release said tape and said brake portions release said reels and in which reel guidance, and also tape guidance at least along said front wall, are effected exclusively by means, including said guide rolls, provided on the recorder independently of the cassette housing. 
     
     
       2. A magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 1, wherein openings are provided in the bottom and top walls of the cassette near its front wall for the joint admission of capstans and tape guide elements, a further opening being provided for the admission of at least one tape damping roll, one magnetic head screening shield and one pressure pad, and further openings are provided in the bottom and top walls for the admission of the tape guide rolls and the actuating pins on the recorder. .[.3. A tape recorder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide means for the reels consist of compression springs provided on the spindles of the recorder, said springs being compressed in the splined holes of the reel hubs when the cassette is placed in position on the recorder and remaining so until 
     
     
        the cassette is removed..]. 4. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide means comprise holding means provided on the recorder, which means press down on the reel hubs of the cassette after the latter has been placed in position on the recorder. .[.5. A tape recorder for use with the magnetic tape cassette set forth in claim 1, wherein members which are rigidly attached to a magnetic-head plate capable of movement toward the magnetic tape moved with said magnetic-head plate to bear against tape guide elements on the recorder, to which end they extend beyond the tape inside or outside openings in those parts of the cassette housing which are adjacent to the front wall of said housing and which 
     
     
        protect the magnetic tape..]. 6. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein members rigidly attached to a magnetic-head plate are provided with pins on the recorder which are adapted to fit into bores in the tape guide pins after passing through recesses in the front wall of the cassette housing within parts of the cassette housing and above the magnetic tape, while that edge of the magnetic-head plate which faces the cassette is adapted to fit into grooves in said tape guide pins below the 
     
     
        magnetic tape and outside parts of the cassette housing. 7. A magnetic tape cassette which comprises a substantially rectangular housing having a bottom wall, a top wall and side walls and containing one or more reels adapted to carry packs of magnetic tape, said cassette further including openings for accommodating the spindles and/or capstans of a tape recorder, said cassette still further including at least one opening in its front wall for accommodating a tape scanning means and pressure roller carried by said tape recorder, said opening in the front wall being arranged so that said pressure roller bears against the magnetic tape passing along the front wall of said cassette and on the inside thereof; said cassette still further including tensioning means for the tape and brake means for the reels, both said means being movable between a first and second position, said tensioning means and said brake means being spring-loaded towards said first position; said tape tensioning means having two tensioning levers which are hingedly mounted near the front wall of the cassette to pivot in the plane of the cassette, and said reel brake means having two brake portions opposite said two reels, respectively; each of said tensioning levers being located, in the first position only of said tensioning means, in gripping relationship to said tape around a corresponding opening in the cassette housing for the admission of a corresponding guide roll on the recorder, so as to hold said tape in place, and each said brake portion being located, in the first position only of said brake means, in flange-gripping relationship to the corresponding reel so as to prevent said reel from turning in at 
     
     
        least one direction. 8. A tape recorder for use with the magnetic tape cassette set forth in claim 7, wherein the tape tensioning levers and the brake portions are moved to their second position by means of pin-carrying rods attached to the cover-plate of the recorder, the pins thereof being adapted to pass through openings provided in the cassette in the bottom and top walls thereof above the tape tensioning levers and the brake 
     
     
        member. 9. A magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 7, wherein the tape tensioning levers and brake portions are in the form of levers having two rigidly connected arms each, one of which arms is located, in the first position, round the openings for the guide rolls of the records, while the other arm, in said first position, bears against the flanges of 
     
     
        the reels. 10. A magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 7, wherein the tape tensioning levers are each formed by two hingedly interconnected levers, and a brake member, common to both reels and including said two portions, is located relative to the said interconnected levers such that when the brake member is displaced by means of a pin on the recorder both 
     
     
        levers are actuated. 11. A magnetic tape cassette as set forth in claim 10, wherein the ratio of the spring load on the tape tensioning levers to that on the brake member as well as the spatial arrangement of the tensioning levers, brake member and actuating pin on the recorder are so selected that when the tape tensioning levers and the brake member are moved to their second position the reels are released before the magnetic tape is released by the tensioning levers. .Iadd. 12. In combination, a tape recorder and a magnetic tape cassette; said cassette comprising a substantially rectangular housing with a top wall, a front wall and side walls and containing a pair of reels adapted to carry packs of magnetic tape, said bottom and/or top walls having therein apertures and said front wall at least one opening;   said recorder comprising spindles and capstans adapted to pass through said apertures for driving said reels and said tape, respectively, and comprising tape-scanning means and at least one pressure roller adapted to pass through said opening for bearing against the length of tape passing along said front wall on the inside thereof and effecting the recording and reproduction of signals after the cassette has been placed in position on said recorder;   wherein there are provided in said cassette abutment portions, resilient means, and control means, said resilient means being disposed in cooperating relationship to said control means, and said control means being actuable against the action of said resilient means and including reel-brake means cooperating with said abutment portions and tape-tensioning means controlled by said reel-brake means,   said brake means having an actuating portion and having two braking elements opposite said two reels, respectively, and said brake means being disposed in said cassette for longitudinal sliding movement, perpendicularly to said front wall, between a first, off-recorder position in which said braking elements clamp said reels against said abutment portions and a second, on-recorder position in which said braking elements release said reels from said abutment portions, and   said tensioning means having two tensioning elements disposed in cooperative relationship to said brake means for rocking movement, under the control of said brake means, in the plane of the cassette between first, off-recorder positions in which said tensioning elements render said length of tape taut along said front wall and second, on-recorder positions in which said tensioning elements release said length of tape; and   wherein there are provided on the recorder actuating means designed to pass through one of said apertures for cooperation with said acutating portion of said brake means;   said resilient means being effective, when the cassette is removed from the recorder, to longitudinally move said brake means in one direction to their first position, and hence cause said tensioning elements to rock to their first position, and said actuating means being effective, when the cassette is placed in operative position on the recorder, to longitudinally move said brake means in the opposite direction to their second position, and hence cause said tensioning elements to rock to their second positions.     
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd. 13.  The combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein said cassette is designed to allow for relatively free translational movement of said reels while said brake means are in their second position; and wherein there are provided on the tape recorder, coaxially with said spindles, counterbearing means which, with the cassette in operative condition on said recorder and hence said reels at one end in place on said spindles, engage the other end of said reels to aid in the centering of said reels and hold said reels down so that they are kept from rubbing against the cassette housing. .Iaddend..Iadd. 14. The combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein said recorder has at least one pressure pad for admission into said cassette through one of said apertures in said bottom wall and/or top wall, said length of tape in operation being urged against said pressure pad by said scanning means which pass through said 
     
     
        opening in the front wall of the cassette..Iaddend..Iadd.15.  The combination as claimed in claim 12, wherein there are further provided on said recorder tape-locating means which, after said cassette has been placed in operative condition on the recorder, are passed through corresponding apertures in the bottom and/or top wall of the cassette adjacent the front corners thereof, for causing said length of tape to be accurately guided, independently of the cassette housing, in a plane parallel to said front wall. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. A magnetic tape cassette which comprises a substantially rectangular housing having a bottom wall, a top wall, a front wall and side walls and containing a pair of reels adapted to carry packs of magnetic tape, said bottom and/or top walls having therein apertures for accommodating the drive spindles and capstans of a tape recorder, said front wall having therein at least one opening for accommodating tape-scanning means and at least one pressure roller carried by said tape recorder, said opening being arranged so that said pressure roller bears against the length of tape passing along the front wall of the cassette and on the inside thereof; .Iaddend. wherein there are provided in said cassette abutment portions, resilient means, and control means, said resilient means being disposed in cooperating relationship to said control means, and said control means being actuable against the action of said resilient means and including reel-brake means cooperating with said abutment portions and tape-tensioning means controlled by said reel-brake means,   said brake means having an actuating portion engagable through one of said apertures and having two braking elements opposite said two reels, respectively, and said brake means being disposed in said cassette for longitudinal sliding movement, perpendicularly to said front wall, between a first, off-recorder position in which said braking elements clamp said reels against said abutment portions and a second, on-recorder position in which said braking elements release said reels from said abutment portions, and   said tensioning means having two tensioning elements disposed in cooperative relationship to said brake means for rocking movement, under the control of said brake means, in the plane of the cassette between first, off-recorder positions in which said tensioning elements render said length of tape taut along said front wall and second, on-recorder positions in which said tensioning elements release said length of tape;   said resilient means being effective, when the cassette is removed from the recorder, to longitudinally move said brake means in one direction to their first position, and hence cause said tensioning elements to rock to their first position, and   said actuating portions being effective, when engaged upon the cassette being placed in operative condition on the recorder, to longitudinally move said brake means in the opposite direction to their second position, and hence cause said tensioning elements to rock to their second positions.